Proper design practices for boat seats, like seats of other vehicles, requires that they accommodate persons of varying physical attributes. In addition, they should have the capability of adjusting to best accommodate the varying needs of the occupant. For example, the occupant may wish at some time to have his or her feet supported on a raised footrest. At other times, maximum comfort and user efficiency may best be accommodated by the footrest being moved out of the way, so that the user may stand in front of and lean against the seat cushion without contacting the footrest.
A helmsman in particular may require a variety of seating positions to effectively carry out his duties. In addition to seating comfort, it may be advantageous to such a user to have at his command a means for controlling the boat which is accessible irrespective of the position and attitude of the seat. The helmsman may wish, for example, to turn the seat from its forward direction during docking or maneuvering to provide better visibility, while at the same time maintaining control over the steering. Requiring the user to maintain hold of a fixed steering wheel or helm while turned can place the user in an awkward position. Indeed, when the seat is rotated substantially toward the aft, hold of the helm may be completely prevented.
It is accordingly a purpose of the present invention to provide a footrest for use in conjunction with a boat seat or similar structure which can easily be adjusted to accommodate various users.
It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide such a footrest which may be easily adjusted amongst a plurality of height positions.
Yet another purpose of the present invention is to provide such a footrest which may be pivoted between a first, generally horizontal position and a second, generally vertical position in which the footrest is retracted and placed in a non-operative, and non-interfering, position.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an armrest for a boat seat and the like which includes an integral steering mechanism.
Still another purpose of the present invention is to provide such an armrest in which a steering mechanism is accessible to the user irrespective of the orientation and adjustment of the seat with which it is utilized.